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Star Dragon
COLLECTED QASHMALLIM REPORT #5212 Date collected: D211.Y140 OBSERVATIONAL REPORT R-483-G-110 Observer: Jk Hb Dc (initial) Rb Wp Gt (finishing)Subject: Race Studies - Star Dragon NOTE OF CORRECTION: After the initial filing of this report, persons interested in private study of the Star Dragon found it to be sorely lacking. Much information was left out, guessed upon, or simply fabricated. Other observers have since added or altered information in this file. The following is the file in it's present state, after all contributors have inserted their observations. Beginning Report: I rue the day I answered the Exalted One Tf Jn Mg's request to study the Star Dragon, it being nigh impossible to find just one of the creature, let alone enough to file a proper report on them. If only my fellows knew the great difficulty of finding a species with no planet to call it's own, perhaps this report would receive more attention than it will. Personal grievances aside, the following is the body of confirmed data, and a few theories and conjectures, about the nature of the Star Dragon. Planet/Sector: During my observation period, I followed a single specimen until it found a planet to land upon. I took detailed note of the marks and tracks it left behind, and used this data to search other worlds for signs of Star Dragon visitation. What I found was rather startling: Star Dragons have landed and at least temporarily dwelt on every type of planet yet seen, excepting the gas-giants, though while following my initial specimen we did pass through several. Furthermore, this evidence didn't appear any more or less common in one sector of the galaxy than any other. Conclusion: Star Dragons are a pangalactic species. Appearance: Star Dragons are bipedal creatures, standing approximately nine feet tall on four-clawed digigrade feet. They have narrow hips and waists, muscular chests, and arms ending in four clawed paws, which have been observed manipulating large and small objects. A long, sinuous neck leads to a muzzled and horned head. A pair of large crystalline wings sprout from the shoulders, with an average wingspan of fifty feet. External covering is scales, though the wings are a strange sort of biological crystal. The color of the scales is dependent on gender; females are silver, and males are black. Hair is sometimes present on specimens. When present, it's normally fuller and longer on females, though males generally retain a "mohawk" like arrangement. Both genders possess a smooth sheen over their scales. When viewed at an angle, this sheen has a similar appearance to oil on water. - Clothing: Clothing was exceedingly rare among the observed specimens, though when seen it consisted of a simple loincloth, and nothing else. Biological Requirements: Star Dragons are unique in that they don't appear to need any source of nutrition, air, water, or other outside chemical sustenance, but are somehow capable of surviving anyway. It is theorized that the creature's wings absorb the particles that make up solar winds, and that these nourish the dragon in a form of photosynthesis. However, while following my initial specimen to a planet's surface, I noticed it breathing. Observation of other specimens on other planets showed them eating local plant and animal life and drinking available water, only to abandon these practices for years on end once they returned to space. Reproduction: When two specimens of opposite genders find one another, they undergo an elaborate courtship ritual. Part dance, part test of the potential mate's physical fitness, this usually involves a race through several star systems, an astrobatic performance, a wrestling match, and ultimately, the "high dive". If the two dragons consider each other suitable, they will find a planet with an atmosphere, embrace above it, wrapping their arms around one another. The female will often do the same with her legs around the male's body. The two will then let the planet's gravitational pull grab them, and enter a freefall into the atmosphere. The two will remain in this position for nearly the entire length of the high dive, but will break away from one another before impacting the surface of the planet. sometimes only a few hundred feet above ground. Afterward, the two will remain close for several days, sometimes repeating the high dive. This is possibly to make sure that the female is indeed fertilized. Afterward, the two will go their seperate ways. Several days later, the female will find another planet and descend to it's surface to build a nest in which to lay a single. The mother dragon will fiercely protect this nest from all who would approach it. During my observation of it's nest, one specimen stayed restless, and hostile nearly constantly. . . until I gave it more space. Somehow, it knew I was there, but was unable to pinpoint my exact location. After my retreat, it calmed considerably, though was still very wary, almost paranoid. Once it's egg had hatched and the young followed its mother into the cosmos, the dragon no longer reacted to me, even when close enough to touch it, were I to make the effort of such contact. Once the young was able to reach interplanetary space, the mother apparently went through steps to teach it basic re-entry, and how to use its wings in space. Once those skills were mastered, she abandoned her young to survive on its own.I was unable to see the actual mechanics of reproduction due to the dragons' using their wings as a shield against the friction of atmospheric entry, but studying a dead female specimen did reveal the existence of a vaginal passage and uterine cavity. This suggests sexual reproduction, though I was unable to find a male cadaver to study, and did not notice any external genital structures on living specimens. Lifespan: Star Dragons may very well be ageless, as the only cadaver I found had been killed rather than died of disease or old age. It's body showed massive plasma burn damage, meaning that cause of death was either in a fight with another dragon had killed it, or it was killed by starship fire. Culture Technology: The Star Dragons are a technology level 0 species, possessing no significant technology. However, they do have a number of unique biological systems that fulfill the same functions as many other species technologies. These systems, their approximate technological equivalents, and other curious biological structures, are as follows. Biology: -Wings -Equivalent to: Faster than Light travel, Sublight travel, Atmospheric flight, Heat shielding, Solar electricity panel The biological crystals that compose a Star Dragon's wings are unique among known compounds. As they're struck by the solar winds, they seem to gather a charge of power in them. This power supply in part nourishes the dragon itself, but once it reaches a certain level, also allows the dragon to travel faster than light speed. Though not as fast as technological FTL drives, the Star Dragon is still capable of traveling the full galactic diameter, a distance of approximately 100,000 light years, in a decade. At sublight speeds, these same wings somehow interact with dark matter, allowing lazy "flaps" of the dragon's wings to propel it forward at speeds as high as 75,000 miles per second. When a dragon descends to the surface, these wings are still strong enough to allow them to fly throught the atmosphere with the same beating motion of sublight travel. During atmospheric reentry, these wings will wrap around the dragon's body, and act as a heatshield, protecting it's body from injury during the fiery descent. -Breath -Equivalent to: Energy-based weaponry The breath of the Star Dragon can be charged with the same energy that allows it to fly. When this breath is expelled, either in atmosphere or in space, it is released as a solid beam of plasma-like matter. -Eyes -Equivalent to: Multiple ocular enhancement devices Star Dragon eyes can see every wavelength of light, though the dragon seems to be capable of willfully adjusting it's focus to whichever type provides the most advantages in the current situation. Perhaps as a result of this panphotonic vision, the dragon's eye color is constantly in flux, washing through the different colors of the spectrum. -Lungs -Equivalent to: Various rebreathing apparatus Lungs in a Star Dragon are capable of adapting to local atmospheric content, and extracting only the most beneficial compounds for absorption into the blood. Those substances not absorbed are exhaled. -Digestive Tract -Equivalent to: Various gastronomic energy systems The dragon's digestive system is capable of breaking down organic matter into it's most elemental forms, and then absorbing these elements into the blood. Curiously, the Star Dragon does not produce biological waste. Any unused nutritional material is deposited back into the stomach and stored until it is needed. -Larynx -Equivalent to: Various FTL and Sublight communications devices A Star Dragon communicates with its fellows via internally produced radio waves. These waves can be made to travel at FTL or sublight speeds at will. The same structure that produces these waves can be used as more traditional vocal chords for atmospheric communication. When picked up by other species, this sound is usually reminiscent of the sound made by Earth's whales. -Brain -Equivalent to: Various computer systems If left to observe local species enough, a Star Dragon can quickly learn that creature's habits, and based on those, can extrapolate and accurately predict possible future activity. The specimen whose nest I observed monitored a nearby Miridi farm town for a few days, noting the comings and goings of the locals before choosing it's nest site. This site was as far away as possible from several hunting trails, and situated in an area the dragon had not previously visited. Futhermore, overhearing just a few snippets of Miridi speech was enough to allow the creature to extrapolate many words, phrases, and grammar structure to allow it to draw them away by luring them in the opposite direction with cries for help. -Bioluminescence -Equivalent to: "running lights" Running down the thighs, calves, upper and lower arms of a Star Dragon are bands of bioluminescence, which pulsate slightly with the dragon's heart beat. These may be used as a method of "showing one's self", as the light from these bands would show far easier in space than the dragon's body would. In addition, the arrangement of colors in these bands is an indicator of gender. Female Star Dragons will possess purple bands on her left wing, right arm and left leg, while green bands decorate her right wing, left arm and right leg. A male's pattern is reversed. Sexuality: Star Dragons carry out their courtship rituals whenever a male and female meet. If the two find one another suitable, they under go the mating ritual. Otherwise they depart company. Outside of this, sexual behavior is unobserved among Star Dragons. Leadership: Star Dragons do not gather in number sufficient to allow for leadership of any kind to form. To date, the largest number of Star Dragons observed in a single solar system is two. Cultural Relations: Star Dragons seem oblivious to the existence of the other major races of the galaxy for the most part, though they are intelligent enough to acknowledge their existence when scouting for nesting sites. Despite this, the dragons do enjoy following passing starships, often playing in their energy exhaust. Why this may be is only conjecture, but the dragons may be feeding on energized particles present. Diet: Star Dragons are omnivorous, eating everything possible when in positions to eat, and relying on their photosynthesis-like processes to sustain them when food is not available. 'ADDENDUM I: On possible Star Dragon origins'The sheer multifunctionality of Star Dragon biological systems cannot possibly have evolved naturally. These features must have been engineered, and it is entirely possible that the dragons themselves are simply an engineered species. Just who may have created the species, why, and how they came to be released into the galaxy is unknown. 'ADDENDUM II: On Star Dragon Sapience, or rather, the Lack Thereof'Despite their extreme intelligence, Star Dragons are still considered little more than wild animals. This is because the creatures lack the quality of sapience. Put elegantly, a Star Dragon thinks. But it does not know that it is, in fact, thinking. Star Dragons also do not seem to contemplate the "why" of matters. When presented with obstacles in nature, Star Dragons will work out several ways of doing individual tasks, but will not concern themselves with why one method succeeds and another fails. Category:Unaligned Races